Monthly Archives: June 2013

Camp Lakodia

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This week we were in South Dakota for a youth/family camp, singing and enjoying great fellowship. We had never been to this one before, but we came away with many wonderful memories, refreshed and encouraged hearts, and many new friends! It was an incredible time of fellowship, teaching, and worshiping the Lord in song.

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It is good to give thanks to the LORD,

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And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;

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To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night,

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On an instrument of ten strings, on the lute, and on the harp, with a harmonious sound.

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For You, LORD, have made me glad through Your work;

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I will triumph in the works of Your hands.
Psalm 92:1-4

Each morning after breakfast the group of campers divided up and went to different classes, where the word of God went out and important lessons were taught. Then we all joined together for a wonderful time of praising the Lord with music! It was certainly a joy to be surrounded by people who praise Him with their whole heart!

Then it was lunch time in the “chow hall” as someone called it. Meal times were a lot of fun…there was an awful lot of laughter that was goin’ around camp. It’s so good to laugh!

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We made lots of new friends! Free time after lunch was spent swimming, playing games, fellowshipping, and Dad was even able to record another testimony for The Storyteller.

DSCN9636abby13 007IMG_3858DSCN9656IMG_3940Each night we gathered for singing and a message given by Mr. John Morris. The overall theme was “relentless.” God loves us relentlessly, He pursues us relentlessly, we need to be relentlessly devoted to Him, and we have a relentless mission of spreading the gospel. The Lord was really working in people’s hearts this week as we were given the opportunity to respond to the gospel and the messages.

So many wonderful things this week–challenging and encouraging messages, new friends, great fellowship, and amazing food (the cooks worked so hard and did an incredible job!)–we just praise God that we were able to be a part of it!

jam session

jam session

up a little too late...?!

up a little too late…?!

Speaker John Morris

Speaker John Morris

Jed and Sally Jezek worked so hard for this camp

Jed and Sally Jezek worked so hard for this camp

a new family member!

a new family member!

smiles

smiles

And, as always, we wish it didn’t have to end so soon!

taking pictures

taking pictures

Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord!

 

 

Vessels of Honor

Last weekend, Deborah and I (Sara) headed down to Missouri for a conference for young adults called Vessels of Honor.  It was an amazing weekend of excellent teaching, like-minded fellowship, and a whole lot of fun.

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It was definitely a new experience for us to take a trip away from home without the rest of the family.

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The conference was held on the beautiful campus of Park University in Parksville, Missouri.

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There were several general teaching sessions each day.  The theme of the conference was prayer, and we were challenged and convicted by the messages given by Joe Reese and Scott DeGroff.

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There were also a number of different seminar sessions.  These were taught by Joe and Ann Reese, Scott DeGroff, Lee Weber, and Lori Kratzer on a variety of topics.

On Saturday afternoon, the conference attendees were given the opportunity to participate in one of three different evangelism outreaches in Kansas City – a kid’s program at a park, door-to-door, and street preaching.  It was so encouraging to be serving the Lord together with other young adults.

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The mealtimes were always full of great fellowship…

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During one of the breaks we enjoyed a rousing game of Round Robin

…and the break times also provided the same, as well as fun activities like Apples to Apples, Round Robin, and volleyball.

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Since we were sitting a lot during the conference, it was a good thing that we had to take this huge staircase 4 or 5 times a day (or more!). 🙂

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Hosanna, Rachel, Deborah, Aidan, Sara, & Annie from UT, MN, & IA!

Deborah and I enjoyed spending time with our room mates, Aidan and Annie, as well as with the many other young people that we met.  The fellowship was such a blessing!

We have returned home so blessed by the entire conference.  It was wonderful to meet young people from all over the country, and to sit under the teaching of godly men and women.  We would both love to attend next year if the Lord would allow.

“But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.  If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”      –2 Timothy 2:20-21

(Note: If you’re interested in listening to the excellent messages that we heard, check out the Vessels conference website when you get a chance – they plan to make the messages from this year’s conference available for download.)